The Concordian - September 26th 2017

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper

theconcordian

VOLUME 35, ISSUE 5 | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

theconcordian.com  /theconcordian  @theconcordian

theconcordian

Playing for Canada with honour

From Concordia to the Rugby World Cup, two Stingers share their experience Sports p. 17

feature

news

A Summer in Uganda: Where hospitality meets knowledge

life

CSU coordinators Montrealers lie issued warning p. 4 down for peace p. 9

arts

Big screen debut for alumnus p. 13

music

p.10

opinions

Getting to know How to be less Common Holly p. 15 materialistic p. 19

news

NEWS EDITORS /// news@theconcordian.com CANDICE PYE & ETIENNE LAJOIE ( @candicepye @renegadereports)

SAFETY

Emergency response team seeks to expand

CERT aims to train more students during first official Campus Safety Awareness Week MEGAN HUNT ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

With Concordia’s first official Campus Safety Awareness Week approaching, university officials are hoping to expand the Concordia Emergency Response Team (CERT), a group of student volunteers who are trained to assist emergency responders and Concordia’s security staff during evacuations and other emergencies.

Students will have the opportunity to complete free CERT training sessions during the Safety Awareness Week, which will run from Sept. 25 to 29.

Although the CERT has offered a number of training sessions throughout the academic year in the past, the Safety Awareness Week is a pilot project. If it’s successful, Rachel Nielsen, Concordia’s emergency preparedness officer, is hoping it will become an annual event.

"For students, being prepared for emergencies is not always on the top of their mind,” Nielsen said.

“We’re hoping that [the Safety Awareness Week and CERT training] will make sure people are aware of some of the hazards they face and be alert.”

Typical responsibilities of CERT members during emergency situations include leading evacuees to designated

emergency exits, assisting disabled students and staff and, when possible, verifying that certain floors or buildings have been completely evacuated. While the group currently has 103 members, there are no set shifts or work schedules, leaving it impossible to know which students will be available to respond in an emergency situation.

In the past, the responsibilities of CERT members have mainly included assisting during fire drills and occasional power outages. Last March, the group faced a unique challenge: assisting with the emergency evacuation of several downtown campus buildings after a racially-charged bomb threat.

Alison Rowley, a CERT member, said the incident was an important reminder

of why CERT’s services are so vital.

“I think a core aspect of being human is the fact that we help each other,” she said. “The reality is that an emergency can happen anywhere, anytime, and that’s why it’s so incredibly important that we be prepared.”

Before attending Concordia, Rowley worked as an emergency medical technician (EMT) in Boston, where she was present for a number of emergency situations. In Rowley’s experience as both an EMT and CERT member, one of the most important aspects of being an emergency responder is minimizing the panic and fear of those she is trying to help.

“As soon as people start panicking, things can get dangerous,” Rowley said.

“Even though it can be scary, just do your best to remain as calm as possible.”

Being a member of the CERT comes with a certain set of risks, but Nielsen insisted there is good reasoning behind recruiting student volunteers. If CERT members are already on campus during an emergency, they can often respond to the situation before emergency services arrive. They also have a better knowledge of particular rooms and buildings on campus.

According to Nielsen, the team communicates using a computer safety app called Alertus, which can be used to send an emergency alert faster than an e-mail or text message.

After attending the three-hour CERT

training session, students looking to join the team are required to receive CPR, first aid and fire prevention training within one year, as well as fire extinguisher training. According to Nielsen, students can receive these trainings on campus throughout the year through the Environmental Health and Safety department, and the $90 fee is waived for CERT members.

Additionally, Concordia has recently introduced a pilot project offering a financial incentive to potential CERT recruits: all members will receive a special identification card that will grant them a 10 per cent discount on all apparel and school supplies at campus bookstores.

Despite the risks, CERT members, including Rowley, are confident that joining the team is worthwhile and that CERT is a valuable tool to help ensure Concordia is as safe as possible.

“At the end of the day, CERT members aren’t firefighters or police officers that have been trained for years to help others—we’re just humans with an armband and a vest, and yet we can make such a big difference because we’ve been taught how to help,” Rowley said. “Being a part of CERT means you can help others, and there’s no better feeling than that.”

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

LGBTQ+

Support and help for LGBTQ+ engineering students

Queer Engineers Concordia constitution awaits approval from university board of directors MINA MAZUMDER STAFF WRITER Concordia’s first-ever queer engineer society submitted a constitution to the Engineering and Computer Science Association (ECA) on June 13 and is now awaiting official approval from the university’s board of directors, according to the society’s co-founder, Mila Roisin.

According to the Queer Engineers Concordia’s constitution, the society aims to provide services for LGBTQ+ engineering students and their allies. This includes peer support through events and discussions, providing resources for LGBTQ+ engineering students and heightening awareness of queer issues.

“I felt like I needed a space where I could talk about engineering and the challenges of being an engineering student as a queer person,” Roisin said.

The development of this society began at a recruiting event hosted

by Queer Engineer McGill in the

fall of 2015. This is where Roisin first met Noah Francis, who is another one of the co-founders of Queer Engineers Concordia.

When Roisin learned Francis was also a Concordia student, she realized their school needed a similar space for its engineering students. “It didn’t make sense for us to be at McGill,” she said.

Francis created a Facebook page and the society’s logo while Roisin wrote up a constitution for official approval in order to begin holding meetings and events.

Roisin met Antoine Beiten, now the third co-founder, in June 2017 at Concordia.

“When she told me about the group, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it,” Beiten said. “There are a lot of women, gay and trans people who would want to join but are not comfortable. We want to make people comfortable and join in.”

Contrary to what some may think, Francis said, the society is open to everyone, not just members of the LGBTQ+ community or engineering students. “It’s

not only for those people. [We are here] to promote visibility, which includes allies,” he said.

After writing the constitution, Roisin contacted Christopher Gallo, the president of ECA, who invited her to give a presentation to ECA and Concordia Student Union (CSU) executives. “Surprisingly, a lot of people were supportive,” Beiten said.

Queer Engineers Concordia co-founders, from left, Mila Roisin, Noah Francis and Antoine Although the ECA Beiten are awaiting for the approval of their constitution. Photo by Kirubel Mehari. and CSU questioned Beiten about the seriousness of Beiten said the message he Roisin said she hopes Queer the society and its integration into would give to people interested Engineers Concordia will be ECA during the presentation, they in joining would be not to hesable to become a chapter of the announced their approval of the itate. “Even if you are closeted national non-profit organization organization on Sept. 7. Roisin or ashamed but you feel like you EngiQueers Canada. said they are now waiting for the could benefit from this group, “We are hoping to foster comuniversity’s board of directors to come and check us out,” he said. munities and encourage more decide whether Queer Engineers “It’s a completely safe space. No people to be interested. I think Concordia will be recognized as one will judge or out you. If you engineering is great, and we need an official society on campus. want to be anonymous, you can.” more diverse people,” Roisin said.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

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STUDENT POLITICS

ASFA responds to election scandal

Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) increases funding for election security. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

Student association will increase budget to ensure poll security IAN DOWN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) has increased funding for election security in the wake of last year’s invalidated elections.

At a regular council meeting on Sept. 22, the council moved to increase the security budget by $7,000. The new budget of $16,000 will be divided between

the election and by-election held during the 2017-18 academic year.

The motion passed 24-1 with two abstentions.

Interim ASFA President Julia Sutera Sardo endorsed the motion.

“Having been VP Internal in the past, I know how contentious elections can be, especially with ASFA,” she said. “If we want to move forward, I think this is a great direction.”

“Our goal this year is to stick to procedure to guarantee ASFA

elections run properly,” Interim VP of finance Francesco Valente told the The Concordian.

A lack of security at polling stations led to ASFA’s general elections in March being invalidated. Starting in the 2015-16 academic year, ASFA chose to increase the number of polling stations around campus, but did not increase the security budget. According to Valente, the 2016 election budget of $4,500 per election was no longer adequate.

According to ASFA’s website, this lack of security led to “several security breaches.” These included several ballot boxes being left unsealed with only one person to supervise them, The Link reported in March. Section 232-F of ASFA’s standing regulations states that, “Ballot boxes must never be left with one person unless sealed.”

Furthermore, according to the same section of ASFA’s standing regulations, “Every ballot box must

be accompanied by a campus security guard from the moment they leave the strong room in the morning of voting to the time that they are returned each evening.”

Valente said he doesn’t know why security was not increased to match the new demand.

Since the elections were invalidated, each council member is officially only serving in an interim capacity. In order to keep their positions, they will have to be re-elected during the fall by-elections, which are scheduled for Nov. 20 to 23.

Valente said $3,360 is the “absolute minimum” additional funding required for each election to ensure proper security. The motion passed by the council rounded that figure up to $3,500 to provide a cushion. This funding will be used to hire securit y guards for the polling stations.

The money needed to increase the budget will come from the Member Association Special Projects Fund (SPF), which currently stands at about $32,300.

Valente said any money that is left over after each election will be returned to the SPF. According to Valente, this budget is only for ASFA elect i o n s . M e m b e r A s s o c i at i o n (MA) elections, during which e xecutives for each MA are elected, are not mandated to implement the same security measures.

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theconcordian

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

STUDENT POLITICS

CSU coordinators issued formal warnings

General coordinator and finance coordinator accepted unauthorized gifts: CSU council

CSU general coordinator Omar Riaz and finance coordinator Soulaymane El Alaoui were issued formal warnings by CSU council for accepting gifts Photo by Étienne Lajoie.

ÉTIENNE LAJOIE NEWS EDITOR The Concordia Student Union council issued formal warnings to CSU general coordinator Omar Riaz and finance coordinator Soulaymane El Alaoui during a regular council meeting on Sept. 20. The council learned the two coordinators were given plane tickets to Vancouver by Lev Bukhman, the CEO of Alliance pour la Santé Étudiante au Québec (ASEQ), which is the CSU’s insurance provider.

The CSU coordinators did not report the gifts to councillors in their executive report of the Student Union Development Summit (SUDS) conference that they attended at the University of British Columbia from Aug. 18 to 21.

According to CSU councillor and signing officer Rowan Gaudet—who motioned for the formal warning— the coordinators should have called a special council meeting in the summer to ask if they could accept the gifts, as per a motion passed by the council on Feb. 8, 2017.

Gaudet and fellow signing officer Rory James knew about the trip, but never got to sign off on cheques for plane tickets. “To go to B.C., I was assuming they hadn’t hitchhiked, therefore flights would be necessary [and] there were no flights expenses to the CSU,” Gaudet said.

According to Gaudet, ASEQ, also known as StudentCare, offered CSU coordinators plane tickets for

the same event last year, but the coordinators refused.

The February 2017 motion read that “should the CSU or its coordinators be offered any benefits or gift [...] the council will have final approval as to whether it can be accepted or not.”

Gaudet told The Concordian that “according to Quebec law, they have to declare any gifts from corporations they represent.” ASEQ renewed its contract with the CSU, worth about nine or 10 million dollars, on April 12, 2017.

“It’s absolutely a motion we didn’t oversight,” El Alaoui argued.

The CSU finance coordinator said he didn’t consider the plane tickets to be a gift.

Riaz and El Alaoui have 90 days to individually pay the CSU back the cost of the flights and of a meal in Vancouver, according to the motion. The finance coordinator said this amounts to about $900 each.

“When we accepted the flights, it was an opportunity that we saw to reduce the cost of going to the conference because, at the end of the day, all these costs the CSU would have paid for anyway,” El Alaoui said.

During the council meeting, signing officer James told the council that Riaz and El Alaoui’s recommendation to bring health insurance ser vices in-house—meaning creating a space for ASEQ services on-campus—would necessitate a “transactional relationship” between ASEQ and the CSU.

“If they receive the benefit of this company, they shouldn’t be involved in the future with this company: negotiations, contracts, nothing,” James told the council.

“Regardless of what happened in the past, [going] forward they cannot negotiate on our behalf.”

According El Alaoui, a lot of students are unaware that they have an insurance plan as part of their fee-levies.

“There are 20,000 students enrolled in the health and dental plan.

A lot of people that are enrolled are having difficulties and they come to [the CSU] reception to ask questions, but because the receptionists are not the frontline customer service providers, they have to redirect them to [ASEQ's]customer service on the phone,” Riaz explained. The CSU general coordinator said that is why in-house ASEQ services would facilitate the procedure.

The contract signed by the CSU with ASEQ in April allows the union to bring some of the insurance company’s responsibilities in-house, according to El Alaoui. The CSU finance coordinator explained during the council meeting that one of the goals of the visit to UBC was to see how UBC’s Alma Mater Society (AMS)—the university’s equivalent of the CSU—operated ASEQ’s services in-house.

Riaz told The Concordian he and El Alaoui arrived in Vancouver on the evening of Aug. 15 to meet AMS executives.

El Alaoui explained that a meeting is scheduled on Sept. 26 where he,

Riaz, Gaudet and James will discuss how the two CSU coordinators will move forward if they can’t be in contact with ASEQ.

OTHER POINTS OF CONTENTION

critical of a section in Riaz and El Alaoui’s report called “Number of execs.” In it, the two coordinators wrote that they “realized that the CSU is the only [union] with a large, even number of executives.” The report continued to say that the “main issue brought up with having an even number of executives is that [fewer decisions] can actually be made” because of the increased likelihood of a tie during votes.

Gaudet also took issue with El Alaoui’s arguments regarding the high number of executives at the CSU. “Technically the CSU could function no problem without a Loyola coordinator or without a sustainability coordinator,” Gaudet told the council. “But we’re greatly advantaged by having someone whose sole focus is sustainability [or] the Loyola campus.”

The paid flights were not the only problems Gaudet and James addressed at the council meeting.

They also took issue with Riaz and El Alaoui’s report about the SUDS conference.

“A lot of points were just three or four lines. I expect that you should get details out of this conference.”

Riaz explained the report was only to present recommendations to the council.

Gaudet also criticized Riaz and El Alaoui’s use of the Health and Dental Plan Premiums budget line for the trip’s expenses, arguing that “this [was] not just an expense line to just incur expenses for the trip.”

El Alaoui later told The Concordian that the money was put there as a holding because he didn’t have the authority to create a budget line without council's approval.

“Since there’s [no line for the budget] and those costs were already coming in, we put it in Health and Dental Plan Premiums because it’s related to [that], and the [expenses] are not going to stay there,” El Alaoui stressed.

In addition, Gaudet was Photo by Nelly Sérandour-Amar.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

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RACISM

Anti-black assimilation in academia

Concordia alumna and BIPOC Committee bring attention to academic racism CANDICE PYE NEWS EDITOR

Concordia University alumna Sophia Sahrane has had more than enough first-hand experiences with academic racism.

Her account is only one of many, highlighting a bigger problem— the anti-black rhetoric ingrained in university education across North America.

How committed is Concordia to ensuring a positive university experience for students of colour?

According to Sahrane, not very.

Until she hosted an orientation event earlier this month featuring Angela Davis in conversation with Robyn Maynard (both black activists, feminists, educators and authors), Sahrane said she had never seen that many black people in the same space at Concordia.

Furthermore, the event featured an unofficial priority seating policy for anyone who was black, Indigenous or a person of colour (BIPOC), despite the objection of several CSU executives.

“The [priority seating] was important because it recognized that universities were not built for us, our experiences, our realities,

our identities,” Sahrane said. “We have been pushed to the margins of academia, but in this moment, we had a place in this academic space and it was in the front row.”

According to Sahrane, the proposal for BIPOC priority seating was initially made by Leyla Sutherland, the Concordia Student Union’s student life coordinator, and the rest of the CSU orientation team, but was overruled by other CSU executives before the event.

Sutherland and the orientation team pursued Angela Davis as a guest speaker and originally brought up the priority seating policy after consulting with the BIPOC Committee—a student group founded last year by Sahrane herself when she was a CSU executive.

“Universities are not built to welcome racialized people, but student movements, associations and spaces aren’t built for it either,” Sahrane said. “I was lucky enough to occupy a position of privilege within the community, so I decided to create the BIPOC Committee in an attempt to balance out the lack of resources for BIPOC folk.”

While she wanted to ensure that racialized students could have

a voice at Concordia, Sahrane said attempting to end institutionalized racism in universities is a much loftier goal. However, she said she believes the creation of a black studies program at Concordia would be a step in the right direction.

“Course curriculum at Concordia doesn’t even scratch the surface of discussing BIPOC individuals’ roles and contribution in history, politics or society,” Sahrane said, referring to her experience in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Throughout her four years of study at Concordia, Sahrane was never taught by a black professor. “Even black history and black literature is taught by white people,” she said.

According to Sahrane, she and many other Concordia students and scholars have advocated for the creation of a black studies program, but have been met with a severe lack of action by the university.

Concordia spokesperson Mary-Jo Barr said that while there are many conversations happening on campus about diversity issues in course curriculum, “at this point, nothing specific has been proposed” regarding a black studies program.

Despite the lack of progress, Sahrane said a black studies program would drastically alter a black student’s university experience.

“I don’t think assimilating or integrating black students within a

white-dominant framework will ever work,” Sahrane said. “We should make sure that the black experience [is] never forgotten or dismissed within existing academic structures.”

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

TEDxCONCORDIA

Roméo Dallaire: “Why don’t we lead the pack?”

Human rights icon encourages TEDxConcordia audience to be agents of change IAN DOWN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Canada’s young people have the power and responsibility to be agents of change in the world, according to lieutenant general Roméo Dallaire.

The author and champion o f h u m a n r i g h t s s p o ke a t T E D x C o n c o rd i a , a n i n d e pendently organized TED conference with the theme “Welcome to the Next Generation,” on Sept. 24. He called on the mostly-young audience to harness the power of modern communication technology, as well as their voting power, to take on global challenges.

“One of the great advantages that [today’s young people] have is that they’ve mastered a tool that none of us have ever had before,” Dallaire said, referring to modern communication technology and social media.

“We [were never 'global' before],” he said. “Now, we can actually communicate in real time. With that extraordinary technological revolution, we should be maximizing it.”

He also encouraged young Canadians to take full advantage of their right to vote, saying that “if they all voted, they would actually hold the balance of power in this country.”

Dallaire criticized the Canadian government for not having a clear vision of its own future and place in the world, especially on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. “Where do we [see] this country, this Canada, in a global environment? What can

it do to advance humanity?” he said. “It is in the hands of you, the young people, to articulate the absolute essentiality of giving that focus and moving beyond our borders.”

S i n ce h i s t i m e a s fo rce co m m a n d e r o f t h e U n i te d Nations Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR) during the Rwandan genocide, Dallaire has become a globally-recognized champion of human rights. His 2004 memoir, Shake Hands with

the Devil , which criticized the global response to the Rwandan genocide, was a national bestseller and recipient of several awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award.

He also founded an organization, the Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative, which works with governments, militaries and police forces around the world to promote non-lethal strategies for dealing with child soldiers on the battlefield.

Romeo Dallaire talks to Concordia students at TEDxConcordia conference. Photos by Mackenzie Lad.

Dallaire encouraged the young people in the audience to take on this cause as well.

Describing the plight of child soldiers around the globe, he said, “In so many countries in the world, your peers are the ones being absorbed and becoming the victims and actually being destroyed by the decisions of adults in many of the conflicts around the world.”

He added that, while there is a system of international laws designed to protect children, “there’s not much in the field to actually implement it.”

According to Dallaire, in at least 17 current conflicts around the world, “we are seeing tens of thousands of children being used as the primary weapon, of which 40 per cent are girls.” He said these children are recruited for a number of purposes, from front-line fighting to sex slavery.

“There’s something fundamentally, morally corrupt about the world for permitting that.”

Dallaire concluded his talk by saying he hopes that, one day, the use of children on the battlefield will be not only eliminated, but will be deemed “unthinkable.”

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theconcordian

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

CURRICULUM

Journalism chair discusses new program

Department responds to student criticism and needs of contemporary media ÉTIENNE LAJOIE NEWS EDITOR Gone are the year-long classes and the opportunity to graduate with a 72-credit specialization from Concordia’s journalism department. Since 2016, all journalism students are enrolled in the department’s new 45-credit major.

A year after the change, department chair David Secko said the objective of the new format was to fully integrate all aspects of journalism—written, audio and video—into the program. As of next year, new students will also wrap up their degree with a digital magazine course where they will bring “all their skills together,” Secko said.

Despite the changes, some former students, like Salim Valji and Noëlle Solange Didierjean, are voicing their discontent with the program. In March, Valji and Didierjean sat down with Secko and the department’s undergraduate program director, Andrea Hunter, to discuss ways to improve the program.

Among their concerns were the department’s cutting of the radio newsroom course—a class where students are asked to produce a 15-minute newscast in two and a half hours—from two classes per week to one.

“The university is in deficit, and there are just not enough course sections to hold that many courses,” Secko told The Concordian when asked about the reduced number of radio newsroom classes. “It was obvious we [were] going to need to change some things because the university wasn’t going to allow us to have that many courses.” The chair said he turned to professor Paul Gott to “make the class as good as before, or as close as before, with less sections.”

Valji and Didierjean were also critical of the method by which the department selected students to be part of a class with Patti Sonntag, a Concordia alumna and the managing editor of The

Concordia journalism department chair David Secko discusses the new journalism program. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

New York Times’s news services division. Sonntag, Concordia’s former journalist-in-residence, taught an independent study course in the Winter 2017 semester.

The students who were part of the class collaborated on an investigative journalism project published in the Canadian magazine The Walrus.

According to Secko, the students were chosen “based on criteria” set by former chair Brian Gabrial and “those sets of students had to go through an application with [Sonntag].”

Valji and Didierjean were also critical of the attendance selection process for a conference given

by CBC foreign correspondent Nahlah Ayed in February 2017. In that case, the department invited students “that excelled in certain classes,” according to Secko. The chair said he received negative feedback from students following the closed session, but pointed out that when Ayed was invited in the fall to speak for a conference, and only nine students showed up.

Concordia journalism chair, David Secko. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

“More [journalism] students should be interested, and they should be more engaged,” Secko said. “We try the best we can to engage students to think how journalism is. In the end, that passion and that fire has to come [from them].”

The department has written to journalism students about their lack of attendance at events in the past. In an email dated Sept. 28, 2015 obtained by The Concordian, Gabrial wrote: “The biggest question I received from our alumni at our 40th anniversary [...] was, ‘Where are the students?’”

“I want to remind you that, just as our department will do whatever it can to support you, sometimes you need to support the department,” the email read.

Secko said the department intends to start micro-teaching courses where a journalist will give a two- or three-hour course on a subject they’re specialized in to combine the benefits of lectures and journalism practice.

LISTENING TO STUDENTS Feedback and comments on the program currently come in many informal ways such as interactions between students and professors, debriefs with Hunter and course evaluations at the end of the year.

“Should we be doing more ‘active focus group-style’ [conversations] or things like that to [fix] holes? That’s going to take me a little bit of time to think through,” Secko said.

“Now in my own mind,” he added, “whether we’ll do it or not, [we have to] think where it will go, and I don’t want to distract people. I do think there’s space to

formalize that even more.”

Despite not having any formal ways for students to suggest changes yet, Secko said students have come forward with ideas for classes.

For one, he said the idea of a “business of journalism” course has been “reflected a lot.”

“I couldn't pick the brain of an instructor on how to pitch myself or my stories,” Valji told The Concordian. “Most of them had never worked as journalists in the digital media era. They had no experience in writing pitch emails and negotiating with editors.”

“Often, those elements of entrepreneurism are built into many of the classes,” Secko said. “Whether or not they need to all come out and get put into a specific class is something we often look at.”

Secko explained that new classes first have to be designed by a curriculum committee, then sent to the office of the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, André Roy. “If the dean likes it, it would go up,” Secko said. Following the approval of the dean's office of the dean, the course needs to be approved by the Concordia Senate.

“It takes, if you’re lucky, about a year,” according to Secko.

Before the beginning of the semester, the department chairs and instructors also met with representatives from Quebec and Montreal-based media. According to CBC Montreal managing editor Helen Evans, who attended the meeting, the department asked questions such as: “What do you need from our journalism graduates?”

Secko said conversations with media representatives have changed in focus from the need for national and international coverage “towards the need to understand what Montreal needs [and] what Quebec needs.”

The journalism department also plans to introduce a sports journalism class funded by a $650,000 donation made by Sportsnet in December 2015.

Secko said the money—which has already been used for various scholarships—will pay for the professor “and any other thing” needed to run the course.

Valji, who has contributed to ESPN, The New York Times and most-recently started working for TSN, said Secko “really has to think about what the department’s identity is.”

“Are we a journalism school or a school that studies journalism?” the Concordia alumnus asked, referring to the department’s need to emphasize practical journalism.

“All of us need to really think very carefully about what is journalism in 2017,” Evans said. “The context has changed drastically and any journalism program at any point needs to be thinking about the exact time it’s offering that program.”

Secko’s vision is one where students are able to think critically and for themselves—a program where students have the “ability to be entrepreneurs [...] and find new ways to interact with the constantly evolving media environment.”

“Part of what we need to do in thinking of the perfect program is to always interact with students, alums, with as many people as we can get through,” Secko said.

extra

Comic by Libby Hopkinson.

life

LIFE EDITOR /// life@theconcordian.com SANDRA HERCEGOVÁ

FASHION

Exploring underground vintage pop-up shops

Founder of Psychic City offers a wide range of vintage clothing at affordable prices MIA ANHOURY STAFF WRITER In the basement of a building in the Plateau Mont Royal, down a staircase lined with handwritten signs and graffiti on the walls, once a month you’ll find the vintage pop-up shop Good Vibes.

The home for this underground fashion haven is Psychic City, an arts venue that hosts everything from fashion shows to comedy shows. The venue’s founder, Paulina Pietruczuk, is a former McGill master’s student in midwifing who made the switch to fashion design school last year.

“Fashion has always been a passion of mine, especially thrifting, recycling clothing and being green,” she said. When her friend suggested she arrange a vintage pop-up shop, Pietruczuk went for it. The most recent shop was open on Sept. 21 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Psychic City will also be playing host to screenings of Hocus Pocus for Halloween and concerts, to name a few of its upcoming events.

The rented space has a cozy, ambient vibe.

It’s lit by yellow and colourful fairy lights that nicely complemented the art on the walls.

According to Pietruczuk, the space has been home to artistic events for the past 20 years.

Before Psychic City moved in, it was used as a jam and practice space for her boyfriend’s band. She said he wanted to create a safe place for artists to be creative, whether it’s playing music, sculpting or painting.

On the day that Good Vibes opened its doors, clothing racks filled with different styles, fabrics and textures lined the room.

Garments ranged from furry and oversized to tight and silky. Old, wooden chairs surrounded the clothing racks with a black leather couch placed right in the middle. Vintage denim pieces were neatly laid out on a table. A few recognizable brands, like Adidas, Beyonce’s Ivy Park and even a Toronto Raptors jersey, could be spotted in perfect condition, on sale.

One shopper, Hannah Clifford, changed into the pink culotte pants she found at the pop-up as soon as she bought them. She said she has been invested in thrifting for the past eight years because it’s cheaper than

Paulina Pietruczuk at her Good Vibes vintage pop-up shop in the Plateau. Photo by Sandra Hercegová.

shopping at mainstream retailers.

She added that she always finds quality second-hand clothing at these types of shops. “The special thing about thrifting personal collections that are on sale is that you get to see a memoir of [the seller’s] mood and their style,” Clifford said.

Clothes weren’t the only items available either. Spread out over one table was an array of handcrafted jewellry by Montreal-based Rufina Ip. Everything from bracelets to chokers to necklaces could be found in a variety of colours, ranging from pinks and oranges to black and blues.

Anyone is welcome to sell their clothing at Good Vibes, according to Vintage denim for only $3. Photo by Sandra Hercegová.

Pietruczuk. This is why Montrealer Alexa Rhynd was able add some of her clothing to the collection just a few days piece sewn on the back which features a before the shop opened. She said the clothing beautiful design bordered with gold. She was she brought were items she was ready to let also selling a pair of painted jeans. “This is the go of and pass on to a new owner. very beginning,” Rhynd said about her attempts Rhynd also included a few pieces she had at enhancing clothing. “I don’t know what I’m spiced up herself, such as a burgundy velvet doing yet, but I’ve already changed a lot.” quilted bomber jacket. The garment’s deep red Thrifting and buying second-hand clothing is now complemented by a wall embroidery can be a great way to recycle your wardrobe

and be more green, Pietruczuk added. “Why not do it while enjoying music in a creative space,” she said.

For more information about Psychic City and a list of its upcoming events, visit the venue’s Facebook page: @psychic666city

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

theconcordian

9

WORLD PEACE

Lying down for a more peaceful world

Montrealers gathered to lie down for peace in celebration of the International Day of Peace at the Place Ville Marie esplanade. Photo by Sandra Hercegová.

Montreal celebrated International Day of Peace by honouring John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s bed-in for peace movement SANDRA HERCEGOVÁ LIFE EDITOR When John Lennon, Yoko Ono and her daughter, Kyoko Chan Cox, arrived in Montreal in the spring of 1969 for their stay at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel, they brought peace and love to our city.

As John Lennon said, “Peace is not something you wish for. It’s something you make, something you do, something you are and something you give away.”

The couple held their second bed-in for peace in Montreal, where they remained in bed for eight consecutive days and invited musicians to sing and journalists to talk about world peace. It was also in their hotel suite, room 1742, that Lennon and Ono composed the famous peace anthem, “Give Peace a Chance.”

This year, on Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel revealed a redesigned version of suite 1742 that reflects the iconic bed-in scene.

“While recreating suite 1742, we realized that we wanted to bring back that powerful cry for peace and make it far-reaching,” said Philippe Demers, the CEO and senior partner

of MASSIVart, a Montreal-based production and art agency that collaborated on the project.

Real estate agency Ivanhoé Cambridge and Sid Lee were also involved in the remodeling.

According to Demers, it took his company and Sid Lee Architecture over two years to redesign the room.

“We began on Nov. 13, 2015, the day of the terror attacks in Paris,” he said. “We felt that people did not understand what John Lennon and Yoko Ono tried to say here back in 1969.

It made sense for us to bring their message back, which is a message of peace that is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.”

The concept of the redesign was developed

by Sid Lee Architecture, which rearranged the furniture in the suite to match its 1969 layout and reproduced the famous handwritten Hair Peace and Bed Peace signs on the windows.

The lyrics of Lennon and Ono’s peace anthem are inscribed on walls and framed photographs of their bed-in hang around the room.

The suite also has interactive features, such as a virtual reality video. “We began shooting with UNLIMITED to make a realistic virtual reality film which brings us back in time to the bed-in of 1969,” said Hanae Bossert, the project manager at MASSIVart. The video

allows people to experience the original bed-in as if they were actually there. It presents a 360-degree view of the best moments of the event by condensing eight days into a few powerful minutes.

The room includes an archive cabinet with 12 interactive drawers filled with an assortment of photographs, podcasts, videos, testimonies and historical objects. These elements showcased the couple’s commitment to peace during that famous week nearly 50 years ago.

“We also needed to include available archives for people to take the time to read and understand what the bed-in was all about—understand their message of peace and its importance,” Bossert said.

There are three objects around the room that present these archives in an interactive format—one of which is a telephone. “Just pick up the phone, and you’ll automatically hear a registered conversation of John Lennon speaking about peace because he spent so much time talking about peace to the entire world,” Bossert said.

There is also a television showing archive images of the bed-in, and a tape recorder which plays exclusive interviews from journalists with Lennon at the press of a button.

According to Bossert, she helped install about 150 pieces of art around the room, a process that was carefully overseen by Arthur Gaillard, the chief curator of MASSIVart. “It was a long selection process—we worked hand in hand with architects to find the right pieces of art which would endure with time,” Gaillard said. All the pieces that were selected were created by Quebec artists.

Also on the International Day of Peace, Sid Lee Collective and MASSIVart invited the public to attend the largest outdoor bed-in ever held in North America. Over 40 beds were placed on Place Ville Marie’s esplanade, each with a unique peace poster printed on its sheets.

These posters were part of the Posters for Peace exhibition which featured the work of 40 international graphic artists depicting their visions for peace, its current state in the world and what needs to be done to achieve it.

“We’ve learned that even the smallest actions can spark change,” said Philippe Meunier, the chief creative officer, co-founder and senior partner at Sid Lee. “With Posters for Peace, we want to give artists a global platform to express themselves on this issue and start a conversation, so that we can build a better tomorrow.”

Experience the 1969 bed-in as if you were there by watching a unique and immersive 360 virtual reality video. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

Sophia Alachouzos volunteered at the bed-in. Photo by Sandra Hercegová.

feature

A SUMMER IN UGANDA: PART THREE

Elephanté: Where hospitality meets knowledge

Understanding the potential behind teaching someone something new TRAVIS SANDERSON STAFF WRITER

world, for people like me who are accustomed to certain things in life, that is a big sell.

I am in Gulu, Uganda, for the summer. As a communications intern, I am tasked with creating a radio program using the voices and ideas of local young people to empower and inspire others in the community.

A s p ar t of my m an d ate, I ’m encouraged to get comfortable and make myself at home. For the most part, that is precisely what I have done. I wouldn’t say I’m a regular at Elephanté, by any means, but I stop by often enough that the staff feel a need to reassure me there is more

Tusker Lager on order when I walk through the door. I’m quite a fan of the beer, and the concern the staff Elephanté is no more than a two at Elephanté show is an expression or three-minute walk away from of their inherent the compound, down the road hospitality. and around the corner. This is When I walk why I go. through the gate It certainly isn’t because the beer and into the open is cheap. In fact, a bottle of Tusker air of the restauLager is 4,000 Ugandan shillings, rant’s courtyard, nearly $1.50 CAD, which is about my eyes are 1,000 shilling s more than anyimmediately drawn to the café where else. No, I go there because counter. This is where the light seems it’s close—but that’s not the only to focus and there are usually three reason to go. Elephanté makes a or four employees waving at me and great pizza and, in this part of the smiling. From what I understand, this is normal and, frankly, rather inviting.

With this distraction, by the time I get to the bar to order a drink or pick up a menu, I have walked past and completely ignored any guests sitting in the row of seats that face the courtyard. To be fair, the people seated there often intend to go unnoticed. They’re usually NGO workers catching up on paperwork or volunteers from overseas Skyping Agong Jesse in the courtyard at Elephanté. Photo by Travis Sanderson. someone back home.

Sometimes, they are people just trying to take shelter from the sun.

Occasionally, though, they are staff members keeping a keen yet quiet eye on things. This was where Agong Jesse was sitting t he f ir st t ime I noticed him.

My first impression of Je ss e w a s t hat he was shy and timid—a wallflower.

On the contrary, Jesse likes to be surrounded by people and thrives on hospitality. He admitted he is fond of people and said his job is a great opportunity for him to meet and speak with a wide range of people from all over the world.

On the day we met, it was Jesse who spoke first. He knew I was an intern with CEED and was curious to know what project I was working on. After I explained my goal of finding young voices of strength and inspiration in the community, I asked him if he knew anyone who fit that description who I could talk to. He flatly said that perhaps I already was.

Though his tone was soft and his smile pleasant, there was a determined look in Jesse’s eyes as we spoke. I knew there was something he wanted to say. The graceful way he talked with his hands showed me

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

he was confident about his ideas. This was clearly not the first time he had given thought to empowering youth.

“I want to show young people how to bake,” he said, adding that he was passionate about passing along knowledge to others. When I asked him why he was so adamant about the transfer of skills, he said it was because he feels he is in a privileged position. I was impressed—I mean, you don’t really hear that in northern Uganda.

I did not have to press him as he explained that this attitude was largely due to the generosity of an American man. When Jesse was young, a man named Brian Davis, who worked with the faith-based charity Samaritan’s Purse, sponsored Jesse's tuition fees so that he could attend a trade school to learn how to bake. I agreed that that is a fortunate position to find one’s self in, but asked him whether that was the only reason for his attitude.

“No,” he replied. “My mother helped with that, too.”

His mother, Veronica, owned a restaurant when he was young.

Watching her dole out hospitality to anyone who crossed the threshold, he explained, had a significant impact on him. Jesse was basically born into the hospitality business, and it wasn’t long before he was helping his mother set up her restaurant in the early mornings before school.

I n f a c t, h i s mother would go so far as to inv ite hungr y neighbourhood children to eat at the restaurant, with no expectation of payment. Jesse said this was mostly because she was someone who would rather find solutions than simply identify problems and hope they go away. At one point, his mother even took it upon herself to feed and house a handful of children from a nearby tribe that had sent them out to fend for themselves.

It was Jesse’s mother who took it upon herself to speak to the director of the local school to convince him to eliminate the school fees for the poorer children who had to leave school if they could not pay. Her persuasion

worked, and the fees were waived.

Now, the children could complete their secondary education for free.

Thanks to his mother and Davis, Jesse became a pragmatic person. He said he feels the most important thing he can do with his life is help change somebody else’s for the better, even if it is just one person. He said it’s the least he can do.

This philosophy extends to his wo r k l i fe —h e said he would rather train someone to do a job rather than hire someone already qualified for the position.

I like the way Jesse looks at the world. He sees that everyone has potential if exposed to the right opportunities, and he wants those skills to be fostered. He said he also thinks each of us has the power to perform and the ability to learn if given the chance.

This is Jesse’s teach-a-man-to-fish approach to life, and he leaves me with one last remark: “Do something.

Pass along your knowledge to others so that they, too, can learn.”

Photos by Travis Sanderson.

theconcordian

Community, Empowerment, Education, Development—or CEED—is a non-profit organization based in both Montreal and Gulu, Uganda. It works to empower youth to be agents of change in their communities through cross-cultural skills development and information sharing.

Each year, students from Concordia University travel to Uganda and work alongside Ugandan interns on various community projects that aim to benefit the youth of Gulu.

Travis Sanderson spent three months working as a communications intern in Uganda this summer. He has produced both written material and radio documentaries that reflect his experiences with the people of Uganda.

11

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com MAGGIE HOPE

EXHIBITION

Changing the way we see Indigenous women Concordia grad and fellow artist combine forces to empower each other and viewers significance in all Indigenous cultures.

The photography aspect of the exhibition features portraits of the five Indigenous women from the shelter—Brenda Lee Marcoux, Gail Golder, Jenna Guanish, Violet Rose Quinney and Crystal Star Einish—embodying empowered alter-egos, or “star selves.” Their star selves were discovered through workshops with the artists and other collaborators, and included links to their ancestors. For example, in her portrait, Quinney chose to dress as her grandfather.

However, Monnet and Danger noted that the empowered personas the women chose were not far off from who they really are. “It was something that we didn’t really expect,” Danger said. “It was really beautiful.”

The work of Dayna Danger and Émilie Monnet is featured in a new exhibition highlighting Indigenous strength and identity. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

OLIVIA DERESTI-ROBINSON CONTRIBUTOR Artist Émilie Monnet and recent Concordia MFA graduate Dayna Danger were asked to exhibit their work as part of the Oboro art centre’s year-long dedication to Indigenous artists and thinkers in response to the Canada 150 celebrations.

In collaboration with five women from the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, the artists took the opportunity to put together a month-long exhibition centred around the empowerment of Indigenous women.

According to Danger, a large portion of Indigenous art focuses on the brutality and

trauma of colonization and oppression. The aim is to “make people care about [Indigenous people] using shock value,” she said. In this case, however, the artists wanted to use this exhibition, titled Wishes / Souhaits, to present Indigenous experiences in a new, refreshing way.

Oboro’s website states Monnet and Danger’s project, Sanctuary, “explores how one can create a feeling of sanctuary in one’s self.” It encourages Indigenous women to understand that their own bodies and ancestry can provide the refuge that their colonized land cannot. The

small exhibition at Oboro is just one element of the centre’s ongoing project. This single-room exhibition consists of both photographic and audio pieces, and explores stars and their

The portraits are laminated onto copper “shields,” because some Indigenous cultures believe the metal has healing properties.

These shields hang from the ceiling in an inwards-facing circle, creating a powerful space that one has to physically enter in order to view the work.

On the wall to the right of the entrance hangs a hand drum, which is lit from behind.

It casts a beam of light across the room onto the portraits, specifically onto the one of a woman holding a similar drum. “The drum lit up could be a reference to the moon,” Danger said.

The exhibition's audio component consists of two parts: an ambient noise which fills the intimate, dark gallery space, and a voice recording played on headphones made available next to the hanging shields.

The ambient noise is made up of an Indigenous song sung by the artists as well as bits of conversation with the collaborators. The recording played through the headphones, is a dialogue from the workshops leading up to the exhibition, as well as intimate monologues that each woman wrote for their created alter-ego.

The atmosphere of the gallery space used for the exhibition aids in conveying the ideas of stars and restfulness. Upon entering the room, viewers feel a sense of sanctuary, as they are easily immersed in the exhibition through the blanket of darkness and placement of the pieces. The sound aspect of the installation helps contribute to the feeling of calm and comfort viewers experience. Additionally, the darkness of the room gives the few lit objects more visibility and significance, just as stars light up a pitch-black night sky.

According to Danger, the aim of this project was to guide Indigenous women in “seeing themselves in a positive and empowering way.”

She added that she also hopes the public, in seeing the exhibition, would echo that vision.

“Even somebody who isn’t Indigenous is going to come in there and find some resonance with what is being said,” she said.

Wishes / Souhaits is on display until Oct. 21 at the Oboro gallery space at 4001 Berri St. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on Oboro’s year of Indigenous programming and upcoming exhibitions, check out their website:

www.oboro.net

EXHIBITION

Tackling social issues from bud to bloom At the start of a journey, BLOOM engages artistic liberation within a social community CHLOË LALONDE ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR This summer, artist Evangelos Michelis began a new journey by steering away from his usual painting techniques. He described BLOOM, his first solo exhibition, as “fun, free and expressive.”

Michelis’ exhibition experiments with colour and form, using techniques that resonated with him the most from his time in art school.

Having graduated from Concordia’s BFA studio arts program in 2016, Michelis said he is still adjusting to life as a working artist.

A vital aspect of Michelis’ creative process is interacting with other painters and being exposed to a variety of creative practices.

Michelis said Concordia’s fine arts program had a strong sense of community. Therefore, going from large, shared studios to a private one was a big challenge for him.

The change in environment prompted the artist to experiment with different styles. He decided to branch out from his usual focus on contemporary social issues. BLOOM is a

body of work that includes the personal, emotional and aesthetic experiences of its viewers, as opposed to being an illustration

of social problems.

Many of the artist's early works depict social issues surrounding capitalism, from the consumption of technology (Screen, 2016) to the labourer’s experience in the workplace (Love Thy Labour, 2015). Setting the contemporary narratives of his paintings in familiar scenes,such as in supermarkets, bars and restaurants, Michelis’ previous work speaks truth to Evangelos Michelis’ first solo exhibition explores artistic liberation while all who view it. engaging in community aesthetics.Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The pieces in BLOOM are a response to a long winter and are heavily pieces, titled Invasion (2014). influenced by a residency he did at a studio In Rabbit Hole (2017), the first piece he in Detroit last spring. “When I got there, I had completed for BLOOM, Michelis experimented such a clear idea of how I was going to work, deliberately with complementary colours. The what I was going to work on and why,” the contrast between the deep cadmium red and artist said. After returning to Montreal a month rich forest green provides a vibrant intensity, later though, Michelis said he knew he needed a visual technique which kicked off Michelis’ a “pause.” inspiration for this body of work.

With summer around the corner, Michelis BLOOM is promoted by Feat Management, jumped at the opportunity to explore a new a three-month-old initiative dedicated to style. Free from the academic restrictions supporting emerging artists and showcasing of university, each painting in BLOOM came unseen work. “Our aim is to help these artists naturally to Michelis, who was inspired by flourish and attain boundless feats,” according the background foliage in one of his older to founders Rafaël and Max Hart Barnwell.

Rabbit Hole, shown here, was the first piece Michelis created for BLOOM. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The Hart Barnwells are both Concordia graduates—Rafaël from communications and Max from photography—and friends of Michelis’. The trio worked together to organize BLOOM, appropriately titled to represent a blossoming of both Feat Management’s initiative and Michelis’ new approach to his work.

BLOOM’'s vernissage will take place on Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. The exhibition will be open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. everyday until Oct. 2 at the MainLine Gallery.

Find Feat Management online and on Instagram: @FEAT.MGMT

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

theconcordian

13

FILM

A captivating story about an unlikely friendship

Concordia alumnus’ new film, We're Still Together, has already garnered worldwide attention SARAH BOUMEDDA STAFF WRITER Picture a teenager, Chris, being accosted and bullied by two kids about his age who take pleasure in beating the crap out of him. Witness to the scene is a single dad, Bobby, who comes to Chris’ aid and stops the fight. Over the course of that night, the two of them forge an incredibly tight yet complex friendship.

Such is the story told in We’re Still Together, the first feature film by filmmaker and alumnus of Concordia’s communications program, Jesse Klein. Klein partnered with Marley Sniatowsky, the producer of the film and an alumnus of Concordia’s art history program. With a theatrical release set for Sept. 29, We're Still Together takes a look at relationships and just how strikingly influential they can be—even if they last only one evening.

One evening… in Montreal.

“Yeah, the movie takes place here,” Klein said. “I knew I was going to set the film here. I'm from Montreal, I grew up here, I went to college here, so there was never any doubt that I would set the movie here.”

True to the city’s nature, the film includes both English and French-speaking characters, though most of the movie is in English.

“The city plays a huge role in the film, and it's kind of unmistakable,” Klein added. “So I never thought of setting it somewhere else.”

The film’s setting has a lot to do with the story itself. “Just the way these two strangers can come together and have this meaningful experience, it’s kind of an urban story in itself,” Klein said. “Ultimately, what I hope people can take [away] from it is just how sustaining the relationships we make can be for us.”

Not only does the movie explore the depth of fleeting friendship, like the one between Chris (Jesse Camacho) and Bobby (Joey Klein), but it also chronicles the other relationships in both the characters’ lives.

Writer/director Jesse Klein teamed up with his brother and friends to make the film, which is already a huge success. Photo by Josh Hansen.

Bobby is a distressed single father, facing challenges with his ex-wife, which in turn jeopardize his ties with his daughter. On the other hand, Chris is a socially awkward teen who doesn’t really get along with anyone.

The experience they share throughout the course of one night teaches them a lot about themselves.

The essence of the characters is also integral the storyline. “I wrote [Bobby’s] role for my older brother,” Klein explained.

“That was one of the starting points for me.

I saw something in him. I saw his range as an actor.” Klein said he started with the idea for the character, “and let the story evolve from there.”

“I see a lot of myself in both characters,” the filmmaker added. “I don't think we're restricted to age or gender when it comes to how we create characters, and I think that's kind of liberating.”

Even prior to its theatrical release, We’re Still Together has already made waves across the globe. The film had its world

We’re Still Together will be released in select theatres in Montreal on Sept. 29. Photos courtesy of Pawel Pogorzelski.

premiere in July 2016 at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic—an experience Klein described as unforgettable.

“I remember sitting there for 82 minutes and thinking, ‘This is boring. This is boring.

This is boring.’ And I was just terrified,” he exclaimed with a smile. “And then the response was great. It was a crazy experience. I was elated. During that standing ovation, I was like, ‘Where am I? What is going on?’”

The film has garnered praise since then and has been shown at festivals in India, Italy, Argentina and Mexico, among others.

Both lead actors, Joey Klein and Jesse Camacho, have won ACTRA (Association of Canadian Television and Radio Artists) awards in Toronto and Montreal, respectively. Yet, there’s something special about a theatrical release right around the corner, Klein admitted.

“Quite frankly, the thing about a theatrical release is that we don't know,” he said, referring to the public’s response.

Ultimately, he has faith in the audience’s love for film.

“There are still movie theatres,” Klein said, nodding. “People do still go to the movies and look at the box office of the opening weekend.” He then added, with a knowing smile, “I'm excited about this.”

We’re Still Together will be released on Sept. 29 at Cineplex Odeon Forum and Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin.

Jesse Klein will be available for Q&A sessions on the 29th at the Quartier Latin (in French) and on the 30th at the Forum (in English).

music

Quickspins

MUSIC EDITOR /// music@theconcordian.com CALVIN CASHEN

1

GUIDE

Montreal video game music

The city’s game developers compose music that feels retro yet futuristic

HUSSAIN ALMAHR ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR Montreal has an abundance of video game developers who have created huge franchises, like Assassin's Creed, and small, independent games, like The Shrouded Isle (2017 ) and SuperHyperCube (2016). The soundtracks of these games are outstanding, perfectly reflecting Montreal’s unique identity—vibrant and eclectic. The music ranges from cyberpunk synth to whimsical orchestration and retro-inspired beats.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2011), by Eidos Montreal, depicts a dark, neon-lit world polarized by augmented humans programed to wield special abilities. The game is set in the year 2027 in Detroit— home to a new technological boom—and the orange-tinted streets of Singapore.

Michael McCann’s soundtrack further enriches the cyberpunk world of Deus Ex. McCann balances high-octane tracks, like “Everybody Lies,” and moody, atmospheric pieces, like “Detroit City Ambient.”

Tension is created during strategic combat sequences, which are amplified by the game’s clever use of music. Although the soundtrack takes inspiration from Vangelis’ Blade Runner (1982) soundtrack, as a lot of sci-fi media does, the world of Deus Ex is dramatically augmented by McCann’s stellar music.

Several years ago, French developer Ubisoft released a succession of experimental and artsy games, starting with Rayman Origins (2010). Out of that initiative, Ubisoft Montreal’s Child of Light (2014) was born.

Hand-drawn, impressionistic art brought the game’s fantasy world to life. A palpable difference from the formulaic fare of other Ubisoft creations could be felt throughout the game, which was a decidedly new direction for the developers. It was a distinct change from the high-budget games Ubisoft is known for, like the Watch Dogs series. The soundtrack was no different.

Composer Cœur de pirate, a Montreal-

based singer-songwriter, melded melody with whimsy, which can be heard on the track “Aurora’s Theme.” The song features lush cello instrumentation and a gorgeous piano sound. Unlike other Ubisoft games, Child of Light’s soundtrack is more subdued and has the ability to create transcendent moments for players.

Montreal indie developer Polytron released its hit game, Fez, in 2012. The game fell somewhere between retro and modern. The developers created a bright and colourful world, reminiscent of games made in the 90s. And yet, the game pushed the aesthetics and gameplay into territories that would never have been possible in that era.

Navigating the world of Fez requires curiosity, a motivation to explore and the ability to think spatially in order to solve complex puzzles. Composer Disasterpeace also straddled the line between retro and classic.

The soundtrack was composed of familiar chiptune sounds—the crunchy electronic synths found in older games—but with a modern twist. For example, the track “Compass” fuses wavy electronic synths

with a rhythm typically heard in classic games. “Majesty” features a chiptune melody combined with ambient synth pads and a drum machine—a sound so familiar yet so mystifying. The soundtrack felt inventive, yet it gave the game a warm sense of nostalgia.

U b i s o f t M o n t re a l ’ s W a t c h Dogs 2 is a game about hacking, dismantling big tech corporations and revealing the corruption of these conglomerates. The game is set in San Francisco, home to Silicon Valley and hundreds of startup tech businesses. A CTOS (Central operating system) controls the city and its inhabitants. The developers satirically portrayed t h e c u l t u re of S i l i co n Va l l ey, skewering the pretensions of the corporate higher-ups. Despite how mediocre the game turned out, the soundtrack was phenomenal.

Composed by producer and DJ Hudson Mohawke, the music was influenced by contemporary electronic music. Mohawke used sampling, synths and a drum machine to produce a danceable and exciting soundtrack. “The Motherload” features distorted synth beats and an off-kilter drum sound, accompanied by a choir and handclaps. While the track “Cyber Driver” could have been a Run the Jewels beat, it harnesses a lovely synth sound that reminds me of the opening Playstation tune. This is one case where the music is definitely superior to the game.

Music is an essential part of the way people experience games. The more inventive composers get, the more me morable the soundtrack becomes. The aforementioned games took on a unique approach to music, showcasing the ways sound can affect the whole vibe of a game. And each of them exemplified the spirit of Montreal—a city caught between two cultures, a city of awe-inspiring art and architecture and a city that integrates old and new.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

LCD DSYSTEM N U SO

American Dream (2017, DFA Records/Columbia) LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy entered the indie-rock pantheon 15 years ago with “Losing My Edge,” a song that both mocked and heralded the ephemerality of underground music. When Murphy decided to retire the project in 2011, he promised to never make a new LCD album again. But as much as the band’s great album, American Dream, breathes new life into the indie veterans, it’s an effort marked by lost opportunities and stringent self-rumination. For a project that essentially started as an ironic caricature of indie-rock’s propensity for ego-stroking, Murphy’s trajectory feels unassured. His formula remains unaltered, combining an affinity for synths with the potent dance-punk sounds of the 70s and 80s. It’s the sound of tradition stricken by trouble and confusion—a critique of the American dream itself. Like his debut, "Losing My Edge," much of American Dream’s 70 minutes feel plagued by the persisting disappearance of history. Only now, it has become more and more prevalent to Murphy.

11 Trial Track: “tonite”

8.6/10 — CALVIN CASHEN, MUSIC EDITOR

2 ARIEL PINK

Dedicated To Bobby Jameson (2017, Mexican Summer) Ariel Pink’s new album is dedicated to Bobby Jameson, an outlandish 60s pop figure who released music under strange disguises to trick consumers into thinking he was a freshly-emerging talent. Pink works under a similar artistic concept, forming a pseudonym that complements the warped demeanor of his music. Dedicated to Bobby Jameson is Pink’s sharpest, most profound effort in years, and manages to conserve the inherent charisma that kept his intentionally unappealing persona so enticing. The record’s intimate ambience channels David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust—a cautionary anecdote about wasted potential, materialized through gothic pop songs about the bitter trappings of fame. After the glam-infused glitter-bomb that was his last album, Pom Pom—an album teeming with infomercial jingles, millennial-obsessed balladry and a healthy appreciation for 80s VCR culture—Bobby Jameson feels like an artist retreating from the pains of everyday life, waiting to emerge anew.

11 Trial Track: “Feels Like Heaven”

8.7/10 — CALVIN CASHEN, MUSIC EDITOR

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

theconcordian

15

Q&A

3 THE NATIONAL

The energetic folk of Common Holly We talked to her about playing live and the joys of botany

Sleep Well Beast (2017, 4AD)

Four years after their last album release, indie-rock band The National is back with their seventh and most progressive album yet, Sleep Well Beast. While there are tinges of optimism weaved throughout much of the tracks, The National stays true to its signature gloomy vibe, due in part to lead singer Matt Berninger’s smooth, baritone voice. Aside from the group’s usual use of sleek guitar riffs and steady drum beats, Sleep Well Beast dabbles in electronic experimentation, adding to Berninger’s despairing lyrics of fear and anxiety. “I’ll Still Destroy You” explores much of this new electronic sound, while “Day I Die” displays the uncompromising nature of the band.

The complexity and cutting honesty flowing from the LP creates a stonecold yet soulful concoction of pleads and hopes for the future.

Common Holly's first album is a bleak homage to folk's saddest crooners. Photo by Mackenzie Lad. 11 Trial Track: “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”

8.2/10 — ALICIA ARDELLI, CONTRIBUTOR

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HUSSAIN ALMAHR ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR I arrived at Quai des Brumes and pulled out my notebook. I didn’t know what to expect. The bar was relatively small, leaving little room between the performer and the audience. Montrealer Brigitte Naggar, also known as Common Holly, had just set up with her band and started to play.

In that small room, Common Holly managed to produce a sprawling and dynamic sound. Smooth and clean guitars complemented the drum and synth textures. Their sound floated somewhere between gentle and raucous, sometimes coalescing when the whole band joined in. Naggar’s vocals, along with the backing vocals, tied the whole sound together.

The performance was great. It had an intimate but huge energy. A few days later, I spoke with Naggar.

Q: First of all, it was a great show Thursday. How do you feel about that performance?

A: Yeah, I feel good about it. I think the audience’s response was really nice, and the band sounded good. Actually, we had played the night before as well, in the same venue, and I got acquainted with the sound guy. He brought a special mic for me the next night for extra clarity, so that was very nice.

Q: One of the things I noticed about the way you played is that, even though it was a small space, it was kind of a large sound. Is that the sound you were going for?

A: I mean, it kind of fluctuates a little bit because I do perform solo and duo as well, so when we have all five people there, it’s definitely a big sound. I think that, in part, reflects some elements of the record that is coming out, because it’s quite produced and there’s a lot going on and there are arrangements and drums.

Q: Now let’s do a little history about you. When did you start playing music?

A: I played piano as a kid for like nine years or so. That was my first foray into music. Then my dad gave me my first guitar lessons when I was 13. I got my first guitar when I was 16. It was supposed to be a surprise, but then [my dad's] girlfriend at the time called me to say: “So did you get the guitar?” and I was like: “Um, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” [Laughs].

Q: What type of guitar was it?

A: It was acoustic. I actually only started playing electric about a year ago, so I feel pretty new to it still. I’ll occasionally go back to acoustic and be like: “Oh God, I’m so much better at this!” [Laughs]. But I really love playing electric. I think it gives it a bit of that hard edge that I’m looking for.

Q: And what music did you start playing? Did you do covers or did you just play around?

A: I started with covers for sure.

I was very much like a 16-year-old doing Elliott Smith and Postal Service and Emily Haines covers, that sort of thing. And then I started to write my own music and some really terrible songs on Myspace, and it was very much in my bedroom for myself, super quiet. I think that’s also how I developed a really quiet sound. It was not that I never wanted to be heard at all. I, you know, slowly started to emerge more and more, as people were showing signs of wanting to hear my music. I kind of got over my fear of being heard a little bit.

Q: Were you always comfortable with your voice? Did you just want to sing for yourself?

A: It wasn’t necessarily that I was afraid that my voice wasn’t good enough, but it’s more an aspect of my personality.

I have never been a very external kind of person, and it’s something I had to learn to do. And I do quite enjoy it, now that it’s something I do. I do really like it, and it continues to be a challenge for me to get out there and perform and be expressive, because I definitely feel introverted.

Q: Are you anxious before a performance?

A: Less so these days. I think it’s because it’s becoming more habitual, but I just get a little nervous stomach, a little stomach ache. [Laughs].

Q: So, how did you get your stage name, Common Holly?

A: I started in a brainstorm circle with a group of my friends. We were looking for imagery that reflected the sound of the music, and we decided that plants and botanical imagery suited it best. So I did some research into plants. When I came upon common holly, I really liked the idea of this very understated, general plant. But it’s also a plant that blooms in the winter, and it has these lovely red berries. It’s a plant that has cultural and religious significance as well, which I liked—I studied religion at McGill, so it’s always been something that has been fascinating for me. And also a plant with dark, spiky leaves, so I think I liked that juxtaposition of pretty and understated, but also with a stark undercurrent, a little bit sharp.

Q: Are you touring to promote your new album?

A: I have a couple of tours in the works, nothing officially announced yet.

I know I’ll be touring the first week of November, and I’ll be doing a little bit at the end of October.

Common Holly’s first album, Playing House, was released Sept. 25.

sports

SPORTS EDITOR /// sports@theconcordian.com NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI ( @nickdg11)

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Stingers honour Erica Cadieux in draw versus UQTR Concordia collected donations, gifts for Children's Hospital in memory of former student-athlete

NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR The Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team tied 2-2 against the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes in the Erica Cadieux Memorial Game on Sept.

22.

For a 12th year in a row, the Stingers held a game in memory of Cadieux, a former Stingers soccer player. She played for Concordia from 1992 to 1994, while double-majoring in political science and Spanish.

Cadieux was killed after being hit by a car while walking with her 18-month-old daughter, who survived, in Beaconsfield on Jan. 27, 2006. Every year since, her family and friends gather at Concordia Stadium to remember her.

“We can’t express enough our gratitude to the university for this honour,” said Yolanda Cadieux, Erica’s mother. “It’s just been wonderful for our family.”

Yolanda said that after Erica’s death, some of her former Stingers teammates wanted to come up with a way to honour their friend.

“We wanted this to be a meaningful thing, something she would be proud of,” Yolanda said. “We decided the Montreal Children’s Hospital would be our focus, and we would try and raise money [for the hospital].” While Erica was a student at Concordia, she volunteered in the neurological wing of the Montreal Children’s Hospital.

The Stingers women’s soccer team accepted donations and gifts for kids at the game, which they sent to the Children’s Hospital. This year, the Stingers said they received over $500 in donations, plus multiple children’s toys and games.

This year’s game featured a different

The Stingers women’s soccer team hands gifts to the family of Erica Cadieux for donation.

Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Midfielder Laura Lamontagne passes the ball against the UQTR Patriotes on Sept. 22.

Photo by Alex Hutchins.

way to honour Erica—her family, her former teammates and Stingers alumni gathered for a reception before the game.

“We had former players here from the late 1980s,” said head coach Jorge Sanchez.

“We told [the current players], ‘Some of you weren’t even born when they played here, but you all have something that unites you together.’” Current and former players shared their connection with soccer and the Stingers, two things Erica loved most.

“[The Stingers were] everything for Erica,” Yolanda said. “It was what made Concordia great for her, because I think there’s something about the friendship you have in a sports setting that transcends the school.”

Every year, Erica’s widowed husband, Carlo Spadafora, would bring their daughters, Bianca, 13, and Olivia, 12, to the game. But this year, Spadafora and the two girls were unable to make the trip to Montreal from

Sault Ste-Marie, Ont. Yolanda said she was disappointed her granddaughters, who play soccer like their mom did, couldn’t go.

“I think when my granddaughters called me and told me they weren’t coming, I said, ‘You have to realize that this is a tremendous honour for the university to hold a special game in memory of your mom,’” Yolanda said.

However, the rest of Erica’s family, including her parents, sisters, nieces and nephews, were present. It gave the game a fun, family atmosphere, something rarely seen at Stingers soccer games.

Concordia got off to a weak start when defender Kate Evoy made a bad pass to the keeper, Olivia Desgroseilliers. UQTR’s Valerie Noel intercepted the ball, got past Desgroseilliers and ran in to score just 10 minutes into the game.

Evoy redeemed herself in the 27th minute when she sent forward Sarah Humes on a breakaway with a long pass.

Humes made no mistake, blasting the ball past the helpless UQTR keeper.

Just two minutes later, midfielder Chama Sedki scored from a free kick 35 yards away from the net. The Stingers carried the lead into halftime, but the Patriotes tied the game at 2-2 in the 55th minute when Magali Gravel scored off a corner kick.

“I thought we had our chances just like they did, and it could have gone either way,” Sanchez said. “It was one of those games where teams were risky to try and get the win, and we ended up with the tie, so we shared the pain.”

Before the memorial game, the Concordia men’s soccer team lost 3-1 to UQTR. On Sept. 24, women won 1-0 against the McGill Martlets, while the men lost 3-0 to McGill. Both teams will have an away game against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Sept. 29.

NEWS

Stingers create search committee to hire new athletics director Deputy provost Lisa Ostiguy leads the charge to find Patrick Boivin’s replacement NICHOL AS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR ÉTIENNE L A JOIE NEWS EDITOR Concordia University has set up a search committee to f ind a new director for the re creation and athletics department.

The search committee will be chaired by deputy provost Lisa Ostiguy, according to Mary-Jo Barr, the university spokesperson, “and also includes a student service director, a vice-president and two athletes named by the coaches from two different sports.”

Although the former athletics director, Patrick Boivin, stepped down from his position in December 2016, the school has

yet to hire his permanent replacement.

Boivin, who was with the university for three years and headed the Concordia Stingers rebrand in September 2015, left the recreation and athletics department to become the president and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes.

After Boivin left, Concordia fired former assistant director John Bower in January 2017, according to The Link. Bower has since become the athletics director at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, Alta.

D’Arcy Ryan, Concordia’s director of residence administration, has been the interim athletics director for nearly 10 months. Concordia University President Alan Shepard previously told The Concordian that having this many changes in an orga-

nization is normal, and the Stingers are in a renewal period.

“We took [Boivin’s departure] as an opportunity to do a full review of the program,” Shepard said, adding that academic programs typically get reviewed every five to seven years. “It’s been about nine or 10 years since we’ve done a review [of the athletics department].”

The review of the department began in January and was completed this summer. Barr said the review process involved meeting with members of the recreation and athletics staff, student-athletes, representatives from student services and Concordia Stingers alumni.

The Concordian has also learned that Jennifer Brenning, athletics director at Carleton University, was asked to assist in

the department's review.

“There was a survey sent to all members [of the recreation and athletics department] for their input,” Barr said in an email to The Concordian . “All internal feedback was summarized and reviewed with the recreation and athletics department for their further input.”

According to Shepard, Concordia funds more money into athletics compared to other universities, but he didn’t specify which universities they were compared to. He did not elaborate on what the department review meant for the search for a new athletics director.

Although the recreation and athletics department has been without a director for nearly a year, Barr said “the goal is to fill the position as soon as possible.”

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

COVER STORY

Representing Canada with pride

From Concordia to the national rugby team, Frédérique Rajotte and Alex Tessier share their experience

Frédérique Rajotte carries the ball against the Carleton Ravens at Concordia Stadium on Sept. 17. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR When Frédérique Rajotte saw Canadian fans cheering for her following a Women’s Rugby World Cup match in Dublin, Ireland, she started crying.

“I thought, ‘Wow this is so special,’” Rajotte said. “My parents were there with my sister and her husband. So [my family and the fans being there] was really special, and you just felt the pride.”

Rajotte, a fifth-year centre with the Concordia Stingers, played for Canada in the Women’s Rugby World Cup this summer.

Alex Tessier, another fifth-year centre with the Stingers, joined Rajotte on the journey to represent their country.

“It’s always such an honour [to represent Canada],” said Tessier, who has played for Team Canada before at various levels. “It’s always so special to play at the highest level.

It’s hard to describe.”

Tessier and Rajotte traded in their standard Stingers maroon and gold for the Canadian red and white for almost the entire month of August. The two Concordia students are roommates in Montreal and were roommates in Ireland. They agreed it was a special experience to have each other there.

“Our connection is strong on the field and off the field,” Tessier said. “It’s always good having confidence in someone.”

“Having Alex [there], there’s kind of a sense of home,” Rajotte said.

Twelve teams participated in the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which is played once every three years. Even though the two Stingers were surrounded by players from all around the world, they said they kept to themselves.

“You always think [the World Cup] is going to be a lot of socializing,” Rajotte said.

“But we didn’t interact with other teams. Not saying we were anti-social or rude about it, but we were very focused on ourselves, and we had a team-first mentality.”

“I’m not the most outgoing person,” Tessier added, “so I didn’t meet players from other teams. But it was cool to be all together and see other cultures—like the New Zealand culture is something different.”

Before each game, New Zealand rugby teams—known as the All Blacks for their all-black uniforms—perform the traditional

Haka dance, which is unique in the world of rugby. According to Tourism New Zealand, the Haka originates from the Maori people, who are indigenous to New Zealand. The Maori performed the Haka in preparation of war, to symbolize the tribe’s pride, strength and unity.

The Haka tradition was passed down from armies to New Zealand’s rugby teams, who try to intimidate their opponents with the dance before each match. The Canadian team had to face the Haka before their match against New Zealand on Aug. 17.

“It’s impressive at first, but you just have to focus on your game,” Tessier said.

“It doesn’t affect you, it can’t affect you.”

Rajotte added that while Team Canada respected the dance because of its history, they just wanted to get to the game. “Seeing that, I think that it’s a challenge or an invitation to go to war, but you get used to it,” she said.

Canada lost that game against New Zealand 48-5, which was their final pool game. Before that, Canada beat Hong Kong 98-0 in their first match, where Tessier scored a try. They also beat Wales, 15-0, in the second match.

The two wins weren’t enough for Canada, as their loss against New Zealand disqualified them from the semi-final. The All Blacks eventually won the tournament, while Rajotte, Tessier and the rest of Team Canada were relegated into the fifth-place playoffs.

In a battle for pride in the playoffs, Canada beat Wales 52-0, then Australia 43-12, to finish in fifth place at the Rugby World Cup. Before the tournament, Canada was ranked as the fourth-best team in the world. For the

two Stingers, their failure to earn a spot on the podium was disappointing.

“We didn’t have the result we wanted.

We were supposed to get the medals,” Tessier said. “It pissed us off that we lost that game [against New Zealand]. So the two last games we played for fifth place were amazing games that I will never forget, because they were really well fought.”

Rajotte added that Canada could compete with the stronger teams like New Zealand and England, the other team that made it to the final. She said the Canadian women’s national team has a lot of potential.

“There’s a lot of hope, and there were a lot of veterans on the team who are retiring, so now it’s up to the younger girls to take over,” she said. “[The veterans] did a great job of sharing their knowledge and their past experiences.”

Tessier and Rajotte both said they learned a lot about discipline and professionalism with the Canadian team. “Discipline, we call it being pro, like being on time and being efficient,” Tessier said. “We try to focus on quality over quantity. That’s one thing I took away, is discipline and staying focused.”

The Stingers veterans aim to bring that professionalism back to the Stingers in their final year with the team. The soft-spoken Tessier said the team needs to have a onegame-at-a-time mentality in order win the championship, while the outgoing Rajotte was more direct about what she thought the team could accomplish.

“We are going to win the RSEQ championship, and we are going to go to Nationals in Alberta.”

Alex Tessier kicks the ball during a match versus the Carleton Ravens on Sept. 17.

Photo by Alex Hutchins.

theconcordian

17

COLOUR COMMENTARY

BY NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI DAZN is terrible. Pronounced “Da Zone,” the sports streaming service was launched in Canada in July with broadcasting rights to the National Football League (NFL), the second-most watched league in Canada, according to the National Post. It sounded perfect—a Netflixlike service for sports. The subscription options are $150 per year or $20 per month, with a free month as soon as you sign up.

DAZN also streams European soccer leagues, like the Serie A, Ligue 1 and La Liga, as well as tennis, MotoGP and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

The only problem is that the service was clearly launched too soon.

DAZN was not ready to handle technical problems, such as poor video quality and buffering. The NFL season started on Sept. 7, less than two months after DAZN’s release, and the first game streamed on DAZN was absolutely horrible.

I signed up for the service, hoping to take advantage of the free month before cancelling and signing up with a new account (who doesn’t do that with Netflix anyway). Yet, as I watched the first NFL game, I was confused by what I saw and what I didn’t hear. There was no commentary sound!

While the commentary problem was fixed by the third quarter, that didn’t compensate for the added problem of poor video quality on the stream. The company wrote on their website that the games are streamed in high definition, but what I saw in that initial game and every NFL game since was horrendous quality.

DAZN advertised and promoted its service vigorously with its motto “Change the Game,” but it fell flat on its face right out of the gate.

By week two of the NFL season, DAZN finally realized how bad their product was. On Sept. 14, the company released a statement apologizing to their customers and outlining their mistakes. They said they “are continuing to explore further ways to improve the experience.” On Sept. 21, they offered customers financial compensation and extended their free trials.

The service has a lot of potential.

With the app available on Google Play and the App Store—as well as streaming devices such as the Playstation 4, Google Chromecast and Apple TV—you could watch sports anytime and anywhere. Its on-demand feature also allows fans to watch games after they happened, another huge plus.

But DAZN came out too early and just isn’t up to par. While there are high hopes for this product, there’s also a lot of fixing up to do.

opinions OPINIONS EDITOR /// opinions@theconcordian.com SANIA MALIK

EDITORIAL

Why Concordia’s journalism program needs updating—again required to spend a semester learning the basics of radio journalism, and another semester focusing on an introduction to video. Later on in their degree, students were offered a semester-long course on photojournalism.

Under the new program, however, students are expected to learn the basics of radio, video and photojournalism in just 15 weeks. That’s about four or five weeks per subject—simply not enough time to familiarize yourself with the basics let alone prepare you for more advanced radio and video courses.

While we at The Concordian agree with the department’s attempt to better prepare students for a work environment that requires journalists to be jacks-of-all-trades, the changes s e e m to g o to o fa r i n t h e ot h e r direction. In trying to teach students so much material in so little time, many j-schoolers risk finishing courses with less knowledge than they would have under the old curriculum.

But the changes aren’t all negative.

It’s extremely important to highlight the program’s necessary shift from traditional to digital media and its implications on young journalists. Writing, of course, is always going to be a critical tool for

journalists. But video, radio and photography have also become necessary skills for a career in this field.

While the new program does offer in-depth audiovisual courses at the 300 and 400-level, we hope the depar tment acknowledges that the overly condensed format of the program’s first year hinders rather than helps prepare students for the rest of their degree.

Another change that has been made to the program is that the course “Radio Newsroom” is no longer required for second-year AV s t u d e n t s .

Especially given the limited time s p e n t a c q u i ring radio skills in ye a r o n e , we at T h e C o n c o rd i a n b e l i e ve t h e department should create more of an opportunity for students to develop

their broadcasting skills in a hands-on environment.

Ultimately, we believe the changes made to the journalism program show potential, even though they remain far from ideal. The fact that the department was willing to adapt to a shifting work environment gives us confidence that we haven’t seen the end of the department’s attempts to make adjustments for the sake of its students’ education.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

Change can def initely be a good thing. While it’s great to stick to a certain niche, it’s really important to evolve your ideas and abilities so that you can keep up with this fastpaced world.

Take Concordia’s journalism program, for example. It’s no secret that journalism has shifted from a traditional print platform to a digital one. Now, reporters are expected to know not only how to write, but also how to take photos, edit sound clips and record video. It’s a great shift, since it encompasses where our society is going in terms of technological advances. But we at The Concordian feel that, although the journalism program has changed for the better since its upgrade in 2016, there is still room for improvement.

It’s understandable that change had to come to a program like journalism—a field that’s always transforming and adapting. To be honest, though, the changes seem better in theory than in practice.

For example, under the old program, students had the option of choosing between a major in textual or audiovisual (AV) journalism. Regardless of which path students chose, though, all were

CULTURE

The millennial pursuit of monetizing passion

One student's realization that passions are valuable whether they bring you success or not AMANDA VITARO STAFF WRITER An interest in yoga has transformed into the pursuit of becoming a fitness model.

A knack for style has evolved into the goal of owning your own fashion label. A passion for music has morphed into a dream of becoming a world-renowned rapper.

Among other defining characteristics, millennials’ willingness to pursue their dreams sets them apart from generations past. Unlike our parents, who weren’t necessarily encouraged to envision futures beyond desk jobs, millennials live in a world constantly inspiring us to nurture our passions and interests.

To be in our 20s today is to live in a time of endless possibility—a time when social media can become your ticket to superstardom, like it did for Justin Bieber; a time when your own voice can propel you past homelessness and poverty, as was the case for The Weeknd.

Despite a generation of baby boomers who tend to label us as lazy and entitled, our reverence for creativity makes us one of the most ambitious generations this world has ever seen. We believe there is nothing hard work and perseverance can’t achieve, and we are unapologetic and fearless in the pursuit of our dreams.

As a millennial myself, I am an avid believer in unearthing individual talents and interests.

Art, dance, cuisine, writing—whatever it is, I encourage you to discover the joy and

fulfillment that comes with asserting yourself as a unique individual.

I am, however, troubled by the sense that a materialistic mentality has pervaded my generation. What started as a goal in the name of passion has been overtaken by a thirst for money and fame. Our passions matter as much as the attention they receive. This is particularly evident through our changed relationship with social media, where our posts and passions are as valuable as the likes and followers they generate. The song you post to YouTube isn’t impressive because you made the beat yourself—it’s impressive because of its view count. It doesn’t matter that I took the time to write this article—what matters is that you took the time to share it on Facebook.

In the pursuit of careers that will satisfy our intrinsic interests, millennials disregard passion for passion's sake—doing something simply because you love it with no ulterior motive like making money or getting noticed.

Our sense of purpose becomes tethered to popularity, and we wait for the day when we will finally be recognized as the superstars we really are. In the meantime, we disregard things that make “everyday” jobs appealing, and overlook those who work nine-to-five jobs instead of pursuing a career they’re passionate about. Stable hours, benefits and a reliable salary aren’t good enough for the go-getting millennial, who scoffs at the idea of working in a cubicle.

But just because someone else hasn’t made a career out of their passion doesn’t mean they’re living a mediocre existence.

They have worked just as hard to get to where they are. And they too are individuals with talents, interests and passions. Conversely, just because someone hustles in a field that they love, doesn’t mean they’re ever going to find success.

For those of you who think I’m saying these things because I don’t have any dreams, you are wrong. I hold a desire in my heart which many have called a pipe dream. I no longer measure the value of my passion based on whether or not I am able to turn it into a career, because I made the disheartening discovery that, sometimes, hard work doesn’t actually pay off.

Indeed, contrary to what we’ve been told our whole lives, working towards your passion is often not enough. The difference between being good at something and getting paid to do it depends on a variety of factors beyond your control, like connections, timing and luck.

In a world that constantly measures you in likes, followers and cash, I urge you to remember that the value of your passion goes far beyond a dollar sign. You do not need recognition from others in order to enjoy or be good at something.

Whether you are able to turn your passion into a career is irrelevant. The beauty of your passion is that it is yours, and that is valuable beyond measure.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

theconcordian

19

MATERIALISM

How to approach an anti-materialistic lifestyle Taking small steps to become less dependent on our belongings goes a long way VICTORIA LEWIN CONTRIBUTOR In a world where something newer and better is almost always available for purchase, society tends to value material objects. We often seek out the latest, trendiest gadgets we can find. As consumers, we tend to forget about the importance of the natural world which exists beyond material possessions.

The value we place on our material objects is a prominent characteristic of the western world. Some people might not even realize their own materialistic habits.

For the purposes of this article, I will define materialism as: “A preoccupation with or stress upon material rather than spiritual or intellectual things.”

The fact is we are currently more attached to our belongings than people ever have been. Many of us cannot imagine life

without our favourite possessions, let alone without any possessions.

The best, if not the only way to combat this epidemic is to start with yourself. We can’t change the mindset of millions of people living materialistically. So instead, I’ve listed some tips to help you become less materialistic, and a little more in tune with the natural world around you.

The first step to becoming a little less materialistic is being aware of your problem. It's unrealistic to claim that you're not a materialistic person, especially living in today’s western society.

Unless you are practicing an anti-materialistic lifestyle, living in the woods in a house you built yourself, there is no way you don’t place too much value on your material goods. For the most part, we all do. Begin your path to a less materialistic lifestyle by acknowledging your attachment to your belongings, and admit you want to work on that.

Since many of us value our technology, such as cellphones, laptops and tablets, more than most of our other belongings, limiting the time you spend on your devices can make a difference. Start by monitoring just how much time you spend on your electronic devices, and try to periodically knock off 10 per cent of that number until you reach a point where you are happy with your typical device usage.

Another basic tip is to just spend more time outside. The power of nature

is stronger than you might think. Plan an afternoon, a day or even a weekend of walking, hiking, biking or any other activity that lets you enjoy the outdoors and get back to nature. Taking notice of the natural world can do wonders for your mental health, and can be a sharp reminder that belongings are not everything.

Most importantly, get to know yourself.

Sometimes, life becomes chaotic and we get lost in the sea of our to-do list. We have so much on our plates, and we tend to reward ourselves with material things. But by submitting yourself to your belongings, you might forget who you are and what you truly enjoy. Look for those pockets of time, and spend that time on you.

Finally, I’m not saying you have to get rid of everything and live an entirely new life. I’m not asking you to throw away all possessions and meditate for eight hours a day. Instead, if you feel you are too glued to your belongings, take small steps to become less attached.

The best way to change your lifestyle is to start small and work your way up. The goal of implementing a less materialistic mindset in your everyday lifestyle is to make changes in moderation. Instead of feeling addicted to buying new things, you should hope to feel like there is more to life than just your belongings. Trying out one or two of these tips is a great way to get started.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

COMMUNITY

Addressing reconciliation with empathy Recognizing and celebrating our nation's progress, but understanding there's still more to do CHARLES PROCEE STAFF WRITER It has been 10 years since the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted on Sept.

13, 2007. As such, Montreal’s city council chose Sept. 13 to mark the addition of an Iroquois symbol to its city flag.

The city also committed to renaming Amherst Street—named after British general Jeffrey Amherst, who advocated for the use of biological warfare against Indigenous peoples in 1763. These were important and complex decisions, however, they are only part of a larger and ongoing conversation about Indigenous rights and reconciliation.

The debate surrounding the honouring of controversial historical figures in the public and governmental spheres has been an ongoing conversation in Canada for some time. However, it seems to have peaked in the wake of the Confederate monument discourse happening in the United States.

While I certainly agree with the renaming of Amherst Street, the issue of consistency comes into question.

For instance, the Langevin block, which houses the prime minister’s office, was named after Hector-Louis Langevin, a father of Confederation and proponent of residential schools. Back in June, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the building would be renamed because

“keeping that name on the prime minister's office is inconsistent with the values of our government.”

However, when confronted by the Elementar y Teachers’ Federation of Ontario’s initiative to remove the name of John A. MacDonald—Canada’s first prime minis-

ter and a supporter of residential schools—from the province’s schools in August, Trudeau sang a different tune. According to CBC News, he said he believes t h i s d i s co u r s e i s i m p o r t a nt , b u t “reconciliation is not just about the relationship between government and Indigenous people.” He said there are no plans for the federal government to remove MacDonald’s name from schools, and therein lies a sort of contradiction.

Some of the public’s reaction has been to label Trudeau’s Langevin block announcement and the Montreal city council decision as acts of virtue signalling. I don’t necessarily agree with that, yet when Mayor Denis Coderre proudly claimed: "If we want reconciliation, I don't think we should celebrate someone who wanted to exterminate Indigenous peoples," it was hard not to see his point. You can’t have it both ways.

It is important to recognize the work that led to Confederation.

However, it is equally important to recognize that our nation was built at the expense of Indigenous people’s territory, culture and lives. Assembly of First Nations national chief Perry Bellegarde told the CBC that the actions of Trudeau and Ontario’s teachers signal an awakening in the minds of Canadians. "What's

hopeful for me is that Canadians are starting to get it," Bellegarde told the CBC. To be clear, I am not a member of the Indigenous community, nor do I mean to speak on their behalf. I believe in inclusion, empathy and reconciliation. I think Bellegarde’s words are quite poignant. This is indeed part of a slow awakening. Canada has come a long way. Two years ago, our leadership was hard pressed to even acknowledge a divide between Canada and Indigenous peoples.

Now, as a nation, we are at least recognizing that our historical legacy is not perfect, and we are having a discourse to reconcile that past with the present.

I think the way forward is to recognize and celebrate the progress we have made, but not to believe—even for a second—that the past is in the past. The actions of our past have tangible, contemporary consequences.

Progress is the sum total of acts of empathy, large and small. We cannot poison acts of goodwill just because they don’t address all violations at once. A single act cannot be comprehensive. But we can certainly be critical and hold our leaders accountable.

It is important to realize that total reconciliation of the past may never be fully realized, but we can work towards a more empathetic and active engagement with our nation’s past. The act of striving for a better relationship with your neighbour is certainly a noble pursuit.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

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